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Improving your memory

Abstract

This experiment was performed to find out if memory retention can be improved by reading words out loud as compared to just looking at, and reading flash cards. It is intended to show that students who are actively involved in the classroom discussions learn and retain more information as compared to their passive, non-participating peers.

Hypothesis

Reading words on flash cards out loud will help a person remember the word better, as compared to just looking and reading the cards silently.

Scientific Terms

Psychology, memory retention, short term and long term memory

Background

Memory

Memory is defined as the ability of a person to remember and recall information. There are two types of memory - short term and long term memory.

Short term memory is one's ability to remember something that happened recently, like what we had for lunch, or recognizing someone we met yesterday. This memory will be retained for a short period.

Long term memories such as scenes from our childhood days or our job skills, are retained for a very long time.
Having enough sleep helps to improve our memory. Although we are resting, our brains are consolidating the information, making meaningful connections between the information that we have gathered. This way, we are able to recall what we have learnt better.

Another memory enhancing factor is emotion. Extremely good/happy emotions, such as the joy that we would experience if we were to win a lottery or extremely bad emotions, like a traumatic accident are not easily forgotten. Emotion-related events are hard to forget, especially so when the emotions you experience are strong.